Picture hook



Dec. 28, 1965 s. SMITH 3,226,065

PICTURE HOOK Filed April 20, 1964 INVENTOR.

STERLING L. SMITH m'vf gr/u ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,226,065 PICTURE HOOK Sterling L. Smith, Altamont Road, Paris Mountain, Greenville, S.C. Filed Apr. 20, 1964, S91. N0. 361,160 Claims. (Cl. 24832) This invention relates to a picture hook for positively positioning picture wire for maintaining pictures in proper level position over extended periods of time.

Many efforts have been made to solve a problem of providing a picture hook capable of positively and resiliently engaging the picture wire for maintaining the picture level against a wall or other hanging surface. A satisfactory solution has never been found to the problem, such devices being ineffective, too complex with many moving parts, or otherwise unsatisfactory. Friction gripping devices for engaging the picture wire have been suspended from picture molding around the ceiling thus permitting the picture to swing in a pendulum action with respect to the wall. Such devices have also failed to properly positively engage the picture wire.

Accordingly, it is an important object of this invention to provide a simple device for positively positioning picture wire.

Another object of this invention is to provide a picture hook capable of positively resiliently positioning picture wire which is simple in construction with no moving parts.

Another important object of the invention is to eliminate the pendulum action referred to above and to properly resiliently engage the picture wire.

The construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features thereof.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof, wherein an example of the invention is shown and where- FIGURE 1 is a perspective view illustrating a picture hook constructed in accordance with the present invention in position to be suspended from a wall or other picture hanging surface constructed in accordance with the present invention,

FIGURE 2 is a transverse sectional veiw taken on the the line 22 in FIGURE 1 illustrating a picture hung on a wall by the picture hook,

FIGURE 3 is a sectional plan vieW taken on the line 3-3 in FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating a means for releasing the gripping action temporarily during the leveling of the picture,

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view illustrating a modified form of the invention,

FIGURE 6 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 6-6 in FIGURE 5, and

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view illustrating another modified form of the invention.

FIGURES 1, 2, 3 and 4 illustrate an embodiment of the invention in which certain parts are designated by like reference characters. FIGURES 5 and 6 illustrate a modified form of the invention in which like parts are designated by like reference characters with prime notations added. FIGURE 7 illustrates another modified form of the invention in which like parts are designated by like reference characters with double prime notations added.

A bracket A has a flat portion adapted to be suspended adjacent a wall. A pair of spaced outwardly extending fiat portions B are fixed to the lower portion of the bracket. An upturned fiat portion C is fixed at the free ends of the outwardly extending flat portions. A flat outwardly extending portion D is fixed to the lower portion of the bracket intermediate the first mentioned outwardly extending flat portions and spaced therefrom on each side thereof. The bracket A is preferably stamped from a single fiat blank constructed of resilient material. If desired, additional intermediate resilient fiat portions D may be added with portions B and C alternating therebetween. Such would result in increased resilient clamping action and provide a broader base to reduce pendulum action. It is important that the bracket A be fixed to the wall W against movement of any kind. It is also important that the device be fixed behind the picture P to further reduce pendulum action as well as for appearance sake.

A nail receiving element is illustrated in FIGURES 1, 2, 5 and 6 in the form of an integral reduced portion 10 turned at right-angles to the bracket A carrying a nail receiving tubular portion 11. The surface 10a (FIGURE 2) engages the wall and prevents movement of the device with respect thereto. A pair of such nail receiving portions are designated 12 in FIGURE 7, and are carried by a pair of upstanding reduced portions 13 turned at right-angles to the bracket portion A". Thus, FIGURE 7 illustrates a construction providing additional stability through spaced support points. An intermediate outwardly turned portion 14 joins the vertical portions 13 to the bracket A". Nails 15 are illustrated and positioned in each of the devices illustrated to fasten the bracket A to the wall W or other surface for receiving the picture P.

A plurality of flat spaced vertical legs, which are integral with and form a part of the bracket A, are designated at 16. These legs 16 carry the fiat portions B and the intermediate portions D except in the embodiment shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 in which a leg 17 is attached as by means of vertically spaced rivets 18 to the rear portion of the bracket A.

A wire or other suitable cord 19, fastened to the picture as by the fastener eye 19a, is illustrated as being resiliently carried by the gripping portions B and D and retained therein by the upstanding flat portions C. It is to be understood that where reference is made to wire in the claims, a cord or other suitable strand hanging member is contemplated. A friction producing surface such as the knurled portions 20 are carried by the wire engaging portions of the members B and D. Thus, the picture wire may be passed over the first mentioned outwardly extending fiat portions and under the intermediate outwardly extending flat portion to be resiliently frictionally engaged thereby when the picture is leveled. The fiat portions confine the picture wire in resilient frictional engagement while the entire device is nailed to the wall behind the picture against movement of any kind so as to fix the picture in level position and guard against pendulum movement.

As is best illustrated in FIGURE 4, the shank of a nail and the like, may be passed over the outwardly extending flat portion having upwardly extending portions and under the intermediate fiat portion to provide an open passage for the wire while positioning the picture. When the picture is properly positioned the nail may be removed and the wire resiliently gripped by the intermediate flat portion. If desired, pressure may be applied upwardly upon the member D by hand, thus temporarily relieving the resilient gripping action against the wire 19 in lieu of the nail 15a. It will be observed that the device of the present invention is especially useful when the clamp, of my application executed contemporaneously herewith entitled Clamp for Use in Hanging Pictures, is used therewith. Such clamp may temporarily position the picture wire prior to permanently fastening same to the picture while the adjustments contemplated herein for properly positioning the wire are made.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described using specific terms, such description is for illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A picture hook for positively positioning picture wire and suspending same from a wall to maintain a picture level including, a bracket having a fiat portion adapted to be suspended adjacent a wall, a pair of spaced outwardly extending fiat portions fixed to the lower portion of the bracket, an upturned flat portion fixed to the free ends of the outwardly extending fiat portions, a flat resilient outwardly extending portion fixed to the lower portion of the bracket intermediate the first mentioned outwardly extending fiat portions and spaced therefrom on each side thereof, a nail receiving element engaging the wall carried by the upper portion of the bracket, and a nail carried by said element engaging the wall to position the bracket in fixed relation to the wall.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1, in which the flat portions have wire engaging surfaces finished to enhance their gripping qualities.

3. The structure set forth in claim 1, in which the intermediate flat portion is fixedly attached to the lower portion of the bracket by fastening means.

4. A picture hook for positively positioning picture wire including, a flat blank constructed of flexible resilient material, nail receiving means formed in the upper portion of said blank for suspending same flat against a wall and in fixed relation thereto, a plurality of fiat spaced vertical legs integral with the lower portion of the blank defined by spaced vertical slots, outwardly extending flat portions formed in said legs in an intermediate portion thereof, an upwardly extending flat portion carried integrally with the free end of an outwardly extending flat portion on each side of an intermediate outwardly extending flat portion.

5. The structure set forth in claim 4, in which the nail receiving means includes a pair of spaced nail holding supports, whereby added stability is provided by suspending the blank upon the Wall from spaced fixed supports.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 454,111 6/1891 Coupe 24832 1,025,964 5/1912 Costuma 248-32 2,317,368 4/1943 Frey 248-32 2,766,958 10/1956 Levy 248223 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

K. J. WINGERT, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A PICTURE HOOK FOR POSITIVELY POSITIONING PICTURE WIRE AND SUSPENDING SAME FROM A WALL TO MAINTAIN A PICTURE LEVEL INCLUDING, A BRACKET HAVING A FLAT PORTION ADAPTED TO BE SUSPENDED ADJACENT A WALL, A PAIR OF SPACED OUTWARDLY EXTENDING FLAT PORTIONS FIXED TO THE LOWER PORTION OF THE BRACKET, AN UPTURNED FLAT PORTION FIXED TO THE FREE ENDS OF THE OUTWARDLY EXTENDING FLAT PORTIONS, A FLAT RESILIENT OUTWARDLY EXTENDING PORTION FIXED TO THE LOWER PORTION OF THE BRACKET INTERMEDIATE THE FIRST MENTIONED OUTWARDLY EXTENDING FLAT PORTIONS AND SPACED THEREFROM ON EACH SIDE THEREOF, A NAIL RECEIVING ELEMENT ENGAGING THE WALL CARRIED BY THE UPPER PORTION OF THE BRACKET, AND A NAIL CARRIED BY SAID ELEMENT ENGAGING THE WALL TO POSITION THE BRACKET IN FIXED RELATION TO THE WALL. 